Esidimeni patients could’ve been found sooner, with political will

4 March 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the news that some of the missing Life Esidimeni patients have recently been found.

According to Gauteng Health MEC, Gwen Ramokgopa, this was particularly due to information from the Home Affairs Department as the patients were receiving social grants.

This is yet another example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

I am puzzled however, that it took more than two years to find these patients. It confirms my impression that the Gauteng Health Department has been inexcusably slack in finding all the missing patients.

Last week Ramakgopa said that the department would be going back to Life Esidimeni to check on details of the patients who had been discharged.

Why was this not done earlier?

Ramakgopa says the police have also been involved, but this only occurred after I laid missing persons charges in January last year.

I hope that speedy progress is made in finding the remaining 16 patients who are still unaccounted for.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 4 March 2019